AS THE WHORL TURNS

My friend Patty wrote to tell me she was glad that my brother Bode's "hair whorls" were on his chest and not his back. (CLICK HERE to see DOUBLE CROWN) I remember seeing a survey which showed that most women do not find back hair appealing.

I hope that Bode will forgive me for telling THAT about his chest hair whorls and for also telling THIS: at age 18--before Bode went into the service--he had only ONE hair on his chest. After he'd been out all night and did not want to get up in the morning to go to work, Mother would threaten to pull that ONE hair from his chest! After returning home from the service, Bode was indeed proud to show off the hair on his chest.

I can remember my brothers--as little boys and their seeming rite of passage--trying out my father's Gillette Safety Razor, shaving brush and Williams Shaving Soap in the shaving cup, and of course, the much-needed STYPTIC pencil for the predictable cuts! I still remember the scents of the shaving soap and styptic pencil! I remember the "Look sharp, be sharp" Gillette commercials on the Friday night fights!

Recently, Charles, the older friend for whom I have Power Of Attorney, told me that he wanted a safety razor and blades instead of the electric razor. It was the second electric razor he had dropped and broken. I went to several places to try to buy a safety razor and the clerk at CVS told me the safety razors were no longer available although they still carried the blades. Gerald said he would go online to find one but I knew that my father's razor was in the upstairs bathroom medicine cabinet. Les cleaned it up, and I bought the blades at CVS, and took them to the nursing home, but the nursing home would not allow the razor and blades; the reason: with Charles' condition, he cannot shave himself, and the the aides do not know how to use the safety razor! I realize it's a highly technical process to open and close the razor and install the blades; thus, I was relieved when Charles announced he wants a beard and an Afro hairdo!